With the USB4 standard, charging will reach 240W, a very high value that requires certified products to be safe and identified by new logos and labels
The USB-C standard for charging is now the one accepted (and appreciated) by everyone: both by manufacturers of smartphones and electronic devices and by consumers. Even the European Union appreciates it, so much to want to impose it as a universal standard for charging. Only Apple, today, is opposed to USB-C.
The future, therefore, is in the ultra-fast USB-C charging with powers that will soon touch 240 watts. A very high value, which must be managed properly to avoid problems and fire hazards. Charger, cable and device to be recharged must be built according to strict quality standards, or the risk that something goes wrong is real and concrete. For this reason, the USB Implementers Forum, the body that deals with the development of the USB standard since it was born, has just released the new labels that will identify the USB products certified to withstand the maximum power of 240 watts. A fundamental indication, to protect consumers.
The new USB labels
The new labels released by the USB Implementers Forum are seven: three are for devices to be recharged, three for cables and one for chargers.
Cables and devices need more labels because manufacturers, in addition to the electrical power supported, must also declare the maximum transfer speed possible with that device or cable. With the new USB4 standard, in fact, you can get up to 40 gbps of speed if both device and cable are compatible.
As for charging power, however, the figure is only one: that in maximum watts supported, which with the next standard rises to 240W.
What can be recharged with 240W
The power of 240 Watts is very high: currently the smartphone with the most powerful recharge, the Xiaomi 11T Pro, in fact stops at "only" 120W.
With even more power available many other devices can be powered, in addition to those that today use USB. For example, large format Smart TVs: a 75-inch Samsung QLED 4K, for example, has a consumption of 230 Watts.